Genivana
Genivana is the spiritual heart of the Triumvirate, and the originating region of the Radurjic religion. Geography The nation of Genivana is dominated by dense jungle that extends all the way to the shoreline. It is said that the name Genivana means 'strange forest', a relic from when the first Genivanans crossed the ocean to settle this land. The coastline tends to be either white sand beaches or mangrove forests. Most human settlements are along the coastline or on rivers since the mawa do not believe in roads. Nadanada is the largest river in Genivana. The capital is settled in its estuary. The Nadanada is a major trade route for the nation. The Nadanada flows in a southwest direction through Genivana, its origin lying just past the crux of the border with Hrathan-Tuor and Aloren within the land of Hrathan-Tuor and its end spilling out into the Sea of the Golden Sun. Asnaoga is a tall plateau in the jungle. The mawa have a massive city here. The architecture is a mix of stone and living wood. It a day’s travel from Nadanada and five days by boat from Dvipabedapura. Atala Ofuma is a region north from Asnaoga where the ground beneath the jungle becomes treacherous. Deep pits open to subterranean rivers. The mawa do not walk the forest floor here, but some do draw water from the cenotes since it is cold and clean. It is thought that the pits might all be interconnected, but there has not been any investigation. People The humans of Genivana claim to have descended from explorers across the ocean, but this claim is debatable. They appear to in large part be related to fellow neighboring coastal regions and to the dark skinned humans of the south central continent lending credence to the idea that they may have been sailors who came north from the southern lands in ancient times. They cling to that belief and are still sailors through and through. Many are born and eventually die on a ship. They are tall and dark of skin and complexion, though red hair is not unheard of. The mawa are native to the jungles of Genivana. They stand as tall as a man, but tend to hunch when walking. Their arms are long and their hands a bit oversized. They have opposable toes. Male mawa have great manes of red hair encircling their face and exceptionally large canines. The females have shorter hair and smaller canines. Both have red fur over their entire body and tan to black skin that is visible on the face, hands, and feet. They revere the jungle and their ancestors. Their buildings are of primarily of carved stone and carefully manipulated plants. The mawa consider treeshaping an art and some of the greatest works of mawa architecture are living trees that have been sculpted for generations as they grew. They travel easily through the canopy of the jungle, but when their relation with the humans of Dvipabeda flourished they took just as easily to ships rigging, and many are just as at home at sea. Humans and mawa can interbreed and in Genivana the offspring are referred to as genimawa. Settlements Cities in Genivana vary greatly by location. Coastal cities are primarily human while those in the jungle are primarily mawa. Architectural styles differ primarily because of physiological differences between human and mawa. Humans prefer to stand and walk, while mawa climb and hang. Mawa tend to build high in the canopy and in a mawa home it is not uncommon to have windows on what a human would consider the floor. Yet human/mawa relations have flourished and so they have adopted parts of each other’s architecture and even worked together to create a new style. Streets in Genivana cities often have pergolas of thick rope netting and vines. These provide a dual purpose, first they allow the mawa to move more easily, as they prefer brachiation to walking. Second, they provide shade and shelter from the sun and rain of Genivana. Dvipabedapura is the capital of Genivana. The city sits on an island in the estuary of the Nadanada on the Sea of the Golden Sun. The island itself is not large and is entirely covered by the walled city center. The rest of the city is comprised entirely of boats. One could walk from the castle to shore by hopping from deck to deck. Before the union of the two kingdoms the ancient city of Asnaogapura was the capital of the mawa. It is still a busy city and its location atop Asnaoga means it is level with the canopy of the jungles that surround it. Ancient trees grown in sweeping spirals rise to the front gates and are used as a walkway to reach the city. Resources Genivana is blessed with the many spoils of the jungle. A vast variety of fruits, vegetables, and spices are native to the jungles, not to mention they have bountiful lumber. The rivers of Genivana are flush with fish, and pale only in comparison to the sea on her shores. Recently Genivanans have discovered and made use of a strange pepper that grows in the jungle. Osuro mirc they call it. It has a sweet flavor and gentle heat. The pepper has a mild psychedelic effect that can be enhanced through meditation. Due to the thick jungles and the nature of her soil mining is impractical in Genivana. Thus all metals must be imported. Religion The population of Genivana follows solely and completely the teachings of Radurja, as revealed by the first Shahidi Mkuu and Genivanan King Mosi Nia-Rohana. There are two levels of clergy within Radurja, the Watafiti(sing. Mtafiti) and the Mashahidi(sing. Shahidi). A mtafiti is a seeker, or one who wishes to learn. A shahidi is one who has completed the Osuro Ritual and traveled under Anga Lingine as Mosi once did. At the top of the clergy, underneath the Shahidi Mkuu himself, are the Chuo wa Mashahidi (College of Witnesses), the eldest 15 members of the Mashahidi who act as advisors to the Shahidi Mkuu and leaders of the Radurjic Faith in the absence of a Shahidi Mkuu. Another branch of the Radurjic faith is the Wapigani-Watafiti, warrior monks trained to defend and protect the tenets of Radurja and those who follow its practices. The ranks of the wapigani-watafiti are often filled by those of the watafiti who rather than pursuing greater spiritual understanding and awakening prefer a martial path of enlightenment, similar in some ways to the Blade Scholars of Hurosha. Category:Regions Category:Former Capital Regions Category:Regions of Telluris Category:Former Tellurian Capital Regions